Arlington Democrats supported Kim Rucker’s bid for county treasurer and five county bond referendums in a vote yesterday (Wednesday).
Voice votes were taken at the monthly Democratic meeting, and in both cases appeared unanimous.
“I’m deeply honored and humbled to be your nominee,” Rucker said after the endorsement vote.
Rucker became treasurer last month following Carla de la Pava’s retirement. Rucker has spent 34 years in the treasurer’s office, the last 12 as chief deputy treasurer.
“I don’t intend to rest on past accomplishments,” Rucker told Democrats assembled at Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School. “I will continue to lead with empathy and compassion.”
Among those in the audience watching her remarks were de la Pava and Jody Acosta, the treasurer of Falls Church.
Rucker, who became treasurer immediately upon de la Pava’s resignation, was the lone candidate to file for the Democratic endorsement. As a result, a scheduled caucus was canceled and her fate was decided on an up-or-down vote at the meeting.
An independent, Aasim Rawoot, has qualified to run for treasurer in the Nov. 3 special election, and other candidates have until Aug. 14 to file paperwork. County Republicans are seeking a candidate, but said they would only field one if the individual had the necessary qualifications for what is largely an administrative position.
Having the Democratic endorsement makes Rucker the odds-on favorite. She plans to hold a formal kickoff event on Thursday, Aug. 27.
The winner of the special election will have to turn around and defend the seat in 2027, when it and three other constitutional offices — sheriff, commissioner of revenue and commonwealth’s attorney — are on the ballot.
In remarks on Aug. 5, Rucker said her priorities as treasurer are to provide excellent customer service, judiciously expand the use of technology and maintain a low tax-delinquency rate.
Rucker has not been especially active within the county’s Democratic power structure but said she would spend time becoming more deeply engaged.
“I look forward to connecting with more of you in the weeks and months to come,” she said at the Democratic meeting.
The treasurer’s office has been in Democratic hands since the 1983 election, when Frank O’Leary defeated Republican Dorothy Grotos by a scant 89 votes out of more than 33,000 cast.
O’Leary retired in mid-2014. De la Pava was serving as chief deputy treasurer at the time, and won a November 2014 special election and subsequent general elections in 2015, 2019 and 2023.
Prior to O’Leary’s 1983 victory, the post had been occupied by Republicans Colin McPherson (1952-71) and Bennie Fletcher, Jr. (1972-83).
Bond package wins support
Democrats also unanimously endorsed the five local bonds that will be on the Nov. 3 ballot.
They include $69.7 million for Metro/transportation, $34.9 million for parks/recreation, $58.8 million for community infrastructure, $20.7 million for utilities and $80 million for schools.
At the meeting, County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti said the focus of the slate of referendums was meeting existing obligations, not expanding them.
“There are really no big projects” in the bond package, he said.
County spending is likely to be a major topic of the upcoming County Board race. Having won the Aug. 4 Democratic primary, de Ferranti will face independents Audrey Clement and David Sisson in November.
A focus on catching up is also a focus of the school bond, School Board member Bethany Zecher Sutton told Democrats before the endorsement vote.
“We have a lot of aging infrastructure,” she said, pointing to items like replacements of roofs, HVAC systems and kitchens.
“We’re working our way through a laundry list of projects,” said Zecher Sutton, who, like de Ferranti, will be on the ballot this year. She is being challenged by James “Vell” Rives IV.
Projects in the pipeline are designed to improve “not only the learning environment for students, [but] the working environment for staff” as well, she said.
Arlington voters have not turned down a local bond referendum since 1979, when separate bonds for local and regional parks were rejected.
